Editing focus

The editor will create a new page- and post-building experience that makes writing rich posts effortless, and has “blocks” to make it easy what today might take shortcodes, custom HTML, or “mystery meat” embed discovery. — Matt Mullenweg

One thing that sets WordPress apart from other systems is that it allows you to create as rich a post layout as you can imagine — but only if you know HTML and CSS and build your own custom theme. By thinking of the editor as a tool to let you write rich posts and create beautiful layouts, we can transform WordPress into something users love WordPress, as opposed something they pick it because it’s what everyone else uses.

Gutenberg looks at the editor as more than a content field, revisiting a layout that has been largely unchanged for almost a decade.This allows us to holistically design a modern editing experience and build a foundation for things to come.

Here’s why we’re looking at the whole editing screen, as opposed to just the content field:

The block unifies multiple interfaces. If we add that on top of the existing interface, it would add complexity, as opposed to remove it.

By revisiting the interface, we can modernize the writing, editing, and publishing experience, with usability and simplicity in mind, benefitting both new and casual users.

When singular block interface takes center stage, it demonstrates a clear path forward for developers to create premium blocks, superior to both shortcodes and widgets.

Considering the whole interface lays a solid foundation for the next focus, full site customization.

Looking at the full editor screen also gives us the opportunity to drastically modernize the foundation, and take steps towards a more fluid and JavaScript powered future that fully leverages the WordPress REST API.

Blocks

Blocks are the unifying evolution of what is now covered, in different ways, by shortcodes, embeds, widgets, post formats, custom post types, theme options, meta-boxes, and other formatting elements. They embrace the breadth of functionality WordPress is capable of, with the clarity of a consistent user experience.

Imagine a custom “employee” block that a client can drag to an About page to automatically display a picture, name, and bio. A whole universe of plugins that all extend WordPress in the same way. Simplified menus and widgets. Users who can instantly understand and use WordPress — and 90% of plugins. This will allow you to easily compose beautiful posts like this example.

Check out the FAQ for answers to the most common questions about the project.

Compatibility

Posts are backwards compatible, and shortcodes will still work. We are continuously exploring how highly-tailored metaboxes can be accommodated, and are looking at solutions ranging from a plugin to disable Gutenberg to automatically detecting whether to load Gutenberg or not. While we want to make sure the new editing experience from writing to publishing is user-friendly, we’re committed to finding a good solution for highly-tailored existing sites.

The stages of Gutenberg

Gutenberg has three planned stages. The first, aimed for inclusion in WordPress 5.0, focuses on the post editing experience and the implementation of blocks. This initial phase focuses on a content-first approach. The use of blocks, as detailed above, allows you to focus on how your content will look without the distraction of other configuration options. This ultimately will help all users present their content in a way that is engaging, direct, and visual.

These foundational elements will pave the way for stages two and three, planned for the next year, to go beyond the post into page templates and ultimately, full site customization.

Gutenberg is a big change, and there will be ways to ensure that existing functionality (like shortcodes and meta-boxes) continue to work while allowing developers the time and paths to transition effectively. Ultimately, it will open new opportunities for plugin and theme developers to better serve users through a more engaging and visual experience that takes advantage of a toolset supported by core.

Contributors

Gutenberg is built by many contributors and volunteers. Please see the full list in CONTRIBUTORS.md.

Mobile

FAQ

How can I send feedback or get help with a bug?

We’d love to hear your bug reports, feature suggestions and any other feedback! Please head over to the GitHub issues page to search for existing issues or open a new one. While we’ll try to triage issues reported here on the plugin forum, you’ll get a faster response (and reduce duplication of effort) by keeping everything centralized in the GitHub repository.

How can I contribute?

We’re calling this editor project “Gutenberg” because it’s a big undertaking. We are working on it every day in GitHub, and we’d love your help building it.You’re also welcome to give feedback, the easiest is to join us in our Slack channel, #core-editor.

Reviews

Not a fan. After six months+ of Daily use I still spend most of my time wrestling with it and undoing things that it does for me automatically (and messes up constantly).
It's a total nuisance. I started out using Gutenberg so I've never used the Classic Editor, but I plan to start using it now.
At first glance the Classic Editor appears much easier to use for blogging, especially if you have basic HTML knowledge.
Not sure what the point of Gutenberg is as a Blogger. Unless you use a hell of a lot of shortcodes and don't like typing them out or you are absolutely clueless about basic web coding then I really don't see the point of visualizing everything to the point of inconvenience.
Wordpress has become Visualpress it seems. But hey, judging by the reviews, the customers seem to love it.

I think is nonsense put a tool in the core that don't have users approval. There's a long way to improve it, at the moment is difficult to use. What's the problem of Gutenberg being a separated plugin instead of a core editor? WooCommerce is great and didn't make part of the core. Who cares about giving a better experience than TinyMCE that is simple, practical and useful and the users love it? Please, keep the simplicity of Classic Editor for users sake. Thank you!

Well done for making it nigh-on impossible to write a simple chemistry blog. I used to use superscript and subscript to show all the various masses, numbers, charges etc. on symbols. Where are the more advanced formatting options on Gutenberg? Not here. By the time you read this, perhaps they'll have updated and included what they should have done in the first place. I had to use: "Advanced Rich Text Tools for Gutenberg" from Ella van Durpe.
I also like HTML mode. What a palaver for this block-head business. Make it as difficult and unwieldy as possible. The idea is good, but the reality of using it is abysmal. Back to the blockboard. I note that many users have given it a 5*, and some give the helpful, "anybody who can't use this is an idiot". I would rank it far higher if it had the functionality I need. But it doesn't. I have to install another raft of plugins to get it to work as required.
However, having said all that, I will be continuing to use it, hoping to improve it myself. One feature that I did find interesting was the ability to produce your own custom blocks, which may eventually get to replace all my ugly shortcodes. Just need to get my head around React. 🙂